Update: Crews working with the City of Portland reconstructed a corner at NE 74th Avenue and NE Glisan Street this week. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) plans to improve sidewalk curb ramps on two other corners at this intersection later this month. Developers of new affordable housing in the area will reconstruct the southeast corner of this intersection as part of the redevelopment of that site.
Construction barricades temporarily blocked the main entryway for the Hour Glass Pub at 7401 NE Glisan Street during concrete work on the northeast corner. Electricians installed conduit and mounting posts for new pedestrian crossing signal poles to replace the units currently mounted on a wood utility pole. Crews also installed updated storm drains near the curb ramps on each street’s edge. These wastewater inlets will handle extreme rain events better, keeping the corners clear of standing water.
This work will bring the intersection into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and better manage stormwater that sometimes floods this area of NE Glisan Street. Expect work to continue on the two westward sidewalk corners over the next month.
Article originally published September 25th, 2022
City engineers plan to improve three sidewalk corners at NE 74th Avenue and NE Glisan Street. Construction at the adjacent affordable housing project will reconstruct the fourth corner of this intersection sometime next year. Although curb ramps already exist at this intersection, they no longer conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and need updating.
The NE Glisan Street crossing at 74th Avenue serves a crucial role in pedestrian and bicycle transit. The next closest controlled intersection is nearly 2,000 feet away in either direction. Only a Rapid Flash Beacon (RFB) at NE 78th Avenue provides any other protected crossing in the immediate area, and vehicles often fail to yield to people using those signals. The recorded audio at that RFB acknowledges this fact in its message. “Please use caution. Vehicles may not stop.” Consequentially, many non-automotive travelers use the 74th Avenue crossing.
The curb reconstruction work will relocate some stormwater drains and expand the sidewalk by extending the corner further into the street. However, this will not incorporate the curb extensions that reduce pedestrian crossing distances and place the sidewalk zone at the outer edge of the parking lane, similar to what crews constructed at NE 79th Avenue. Although those infrastructure features would likely make the intersection even safer, extended sidewalks would interfere with a nearby TriMet stop by blocking the bus as it pulls away from the curb.
The sidewalk updates to NE Glisan Street at NE 74th Avenue will increase the utility of this crossing for pedestrians by providing flush curb ramps and reducing the flooding seen at these corners during heavy rain. Look for work to begin in the next few months and anticipate minor detours while crews are on site.
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